Free Republic

A new “grass to gas” agricultural biomethane plant is set to provide enough energy to heat two pharmaceutical manufacturing sites by the end of next year. The state-of-the-art plant is being launched by Carbon AMS in Duleek in County Meath today. The plant is a partnership between the anaerobic digestion company, local farmers and biopharmaceutical company Alexion, AstraZeneca Rare Disease. Carbon AMS is focused on the production of biomethane in Ireland by converting “grass to gas” through anaerobic digestion. When operational, the plant will cover 100% of the heating needs of Alexion’s two manufacturing sites in Dublin and Athlone by...

SAN FRANCISCO Pacific Gas & Electric Co. announced plans Thursday to buy natural gas generated from cow manure on California dairy farms. PG&E officials said the utility signed a deal with Microgy Inc., a subsidiary of Portsmouth, N.H.-based Environmental Power Corp., to buy enough biomethane to power an estimated 50,000 homes. The agreement represents the PG&E's first purchase of natural gas generated from cow patties. Manure-derived methane could make up a larger share of the San Francisco-based utility's electricity supply if the pilot project is successful, said spokeswoman Darlene Chiu. The deal could help increase the percentage of PG&E's electricity...